The future of the Aston Martin Vanquish is in doubt. Aston Martin was planning to revive the Vanquish as a mid-engine supercar with a hybrid V6 producing over 700 horsepower in 2023. This was previewed by the Aston Martin Vision Concept at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, but the success of the DBX SUV could determine whether or not it enters production. In the meantime, legendary automotive designer Ian Callum has been working with R-Reforged to revive the old Aston Martin Vanquish.
After announcing the project nine months ago, Callum's new design company has presented the final production version of the reborn Aston Martin Vanquish. Dubbed the Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25, the production model has evolved since the original concept was shown in 2019, with a revised interior, more trim options, and tweaks to the chassis and powertrain.
The original Aston Martin Vanquish was already breathtakingly beautiful, but Callum has somehow made the gorgeous grand tourer look even better. With over 350 engineering, material and design changes, the Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25 has been transformed into a "more practical and relevant GT." Since the concept was shown last year, the reborn Vanquish has been tested on over 20,000 miles of different road types in the UK, as well as wet and dry track sessions at Michelin's Ladoux proving ground to refine the driving experience.
Compared to the original Vanquish, Callum's take on the iconic grand tourer features tuned Bilstein dampers that improve the agility, stiffer anti-roll bars, a 0.3-inch lower ride height, a 2.3-inch wider track, and Michelin Pilot Sport tires. Steering is also sharper thanks to a more slender wheel rim, lower seating position, and suspension improvements.
"After a year of piling on the miles in our development prototype, I'm confident we've hit the targets we set ourselves of a very responsive but supple car," said, Adam Donfrancesco, head of engineering at R-Reforged. "There was a perception that much of what we planned was aesthetic but the way the car drives, feels, goes, stops and sounds is actually where a lot of our efforts have been focused. We've defined a set up that finesses the composed, big Aston Martin GT feel but sharpens and hones it in line the progress that new tires, suspension and knowledge brings.
It's got to be a car you want to use and be adaptable; laid back and comfortable enough to soak up a 300-mile trip across Europe but equally engaging and rewarding on a 20-minute run to meet friends at an informal cars and coffee meet. That versatility and accessible performance is something many contemporary GTs lack. We have all missed the chance to just go for a drive for pleasure in the past few months. This is now the car to make the most of those precious times."
Callum's reborn Aston Martin Vanquish can also be extensively customized with an "infinite number" of body colors and eight trim options. Three transmission options are available including manual, automatic, and semi-automatic, along with three bespoke 20-inch wheel designs. The interior is appointed with leather trim, brushed or polished dark chrome details, and a walnut veneer option. Mulberry has developed the luggage to fit snugly in the rear of the cabin. Under the hood, the Vanquish's 5.9-liter V12 has been tuned to produce 580 horsepower, which is 60 more hp than the original Vanquish. It will sound glorious too, thanks to new carbon induction and exhaust systems.
As the name suggests, production of the Aston Martin Callum Vanquish 25 will be limited to 25 examples. The first cars will be built in September for customers in Europe and Latin America.